Mayor Bloomberg just banned clergy (all clergy: priests, ministers, rabbis and imam(s)) from the 9/11 NYC ceremony this year. Does the word DISGRACEFUL come to your lips, if not, it should.

I think these recent events are foreshadowing of bad times ahead for those of us with faith in this country, a place which once was a safe haven for those who wanted to practice their faith in the public square. However, as we all know, God uses all things for His greater glory. Maybe it will be these very persecutions that bring our Church together and make it stronger then ever.

Remember, the same-sex marriage issue was one of the prime drivers for our Anglican brothers (High Anglican Church) to come back home into full communion with the Catholic Church. For those who may not know, the High Anglican Church was against same sex unions and the more liberal wing of that church was for it.

Remember too, the Anglicans (i.e. Church of England) were the first to officially break away under Henry VIII from the Catholic Church. Now they are the first to return – irony – I think not!

God works in mysterious ways my friends

The Bishops are just realizing that the universal healthcare carrot is rotten? Did you really believe the Administration would honor conscience?

Did you not see Kathleen Sebelius, a catholic, was a devoted supporter of George Tiller, a late term abortionist. Did you not know the Presidents patron saint, Saul Alinsky, dedicated his Rules for Radicals bestseller to Lucifer? Did you not worry when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a catholic, said that “we have to pass the bill before we can know what’s in it”.

Do you not believe evil roams the earth seeking the ruin of destruction of souls?

Ask some of us. We carefully follow the day in and day out news of our government. We are street Catholics. We have a view from the pews. There are quite a few people who regularly contribute to your blog who could give you an intelligent, truthful, kind, gently-said, earful. At least, another point of view.

About 70,000,000 Catholics in our country and we have to endure the most anti Catholic government in American history and yes I include the Know Nothings and the Nativist days of our history.

It’s so frustrating that in the days of leaders such as Spellman, Sheen and many others too numerous to name as well as Protestant leaders to watch our American government become so anti Christian. They would have never DARED to do the things they do today what with homosexual marriages, the slaughter of the innocents in the sacrament of abortion, the challenges to everything Christian we hear about everyday including public displays of Christmas, Crucifixes, the 10 Commandments and any public mention of our Lord and other attacks on our faith had these leaders been around.

Our leaders have failed us miserably over the last 50-60 years. We have become a great fund raising institution but have sold our souls for mammon. Our leaders have sold out our Lord and His Church.

If not for immigration from south of the border we would be hanging by a thread. Our bishop’s conference is partly responsible for electing this anti Catholic government, for getting health care that includes infanticide, homosexual marriage, and now forced contraception through the same health care program. Our bishops said nothing to defeat the party of death as Cardinal Raymond Burke called it and now we reap the whirlwind.

You Archbishop have been chosen by the Holy Spirit Himself to turn this around and I see nothing but another politician who at times shines but too many times falls into the trap of modernist secularist thought.

I pray that you open your eyes wider Your Excellency. As the leader of the USCCB you are in a unique position to turn this around. You will be persecuted, funds will disappear, some of your own flock will abandon you but you must persevere. You must speak louder and clearer for all of us. You must enlist the very people who will stand shoulder to shoulder with you like the Catholic League, Father Benedict Groeschell, Scott Hahn, Larry Douglas, Bob Stanley, and many many others who stand up for our beloved Church no matter what the elitists think. We are many. We wait for a true leader who will intimidate government officials as was done in the past and not cower before them.

I pray for your courage and perserverance. We need you more than ever. Lead us!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, and one more thing. I realize that the captci is used to discourage spammers but at least use two words that we can read. Some of them are totally illegible. AndyP/Doria2 Yonkers, NY HOSEA 4:6